TMJ disorders are painful and will cause tenderness in the jaw joints, surrounding muscles, and ligaments. The causes for TMJ disorders are unknown, but physicians, it can result from teeth grinding, arthritis, jaw injuries, and regular wear and tear. Effective TMJ treatment for reviewing jaw pain differs between patients and can include custom mouthguards, physical therapy, medications, and surgery.
Understanding TMJ Disorders: Causes and Symptoms
Your temporomandibular joint functions like a sliding hinge to connect your jawbone to your skull. You have one TMJ joint on both sides of the jaw. TMJ disorders induce pain in the jaw joint and the muscles controlling jaw movement.
The medical fraternity finds determining the precise reasons for TMJ disorders challenging. The discomfort might be a combination of elements like genetics, jaw injuries, and arthritis. If you have bruxism causing you to grind and clench teeth, it might also result in TMJ disorders, although not everyone with bruxism may develop the problem.
Generally, the discomfort associated with TMJ disorders is temporary and relieved with nonsurgical treatments or self-managed care. However, surgery also helps as a last resort to provide a from TMJ disorders after the failure of conservative techniques in relieving the problem.
Signs and Symptoms Associated with TMJ Disorders
The symptoms of TMJ disorders include pain and tenderness of the jaws, discomfort in one or both the TMJ joints, pain in and around the ear, challenges chewing or painful chewing, facial pain, and jaw joint locking, making opening and closing your mouth difficult.
TMJ disorders can cause clicking sounds on grating feelings when opening and closing your mouth or chewing. However, if you do not experience pain or have limited movement with the jaw clicking, treatment for the TMJ disorder becomes unnecessary.
When Must You Seek Help from the Doctor
You can seek medical attention from a physician or a dentist near me if you experience persistent discomfort and tenderness in your jaw, making it difficult for me to open or completely close your jaw. The professionals can identify possible reasons causing your jaw pain and treatment for the problem.
TMJ Disorder Causes
A hinge action having signed motions is associated with the TMJ joint. The parts of the bones interacting in the joints have cartilage covering them, separated by a tiny shock-absorbing disk to keep the movement smooth. You might develop TMJ disorders due to erosion of the disk, moving it out of proper alignment, damage to the disk cartilage by arthritis, or damage to the joint by impacts or blows. However, in many cases, the reasons for TMJ disorders are not clear.
TMJ Disorder Risk Factors
You may develop TMJ disorders due to various factors. They are different arthritis types, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, jaw injuries, chronic bruxism, and connective tissue diseases causing problems affecting the temporomandibular joint.
Diagnosing TMJ Disorders
If you seek treatment from a dentist in Bayside for TMJ disorders, they will likely listen and feel your jaw asking you to open and close your mouth to scrutinize the range of motion and press on areas around the jaw, trying to identify sites of pain and discomfort. If the professional suspects issues with your jaw, they will suggest dental X-rays, CT scans, and an MRI to identify problems with the joint disk and surrounding soft tissue. The professionals may also use TMJ arthroscopy to help determine the diagnosis.
Effective TMJ Treatment
The symptoms of TMJ disorders disappear by themselves without treatment in some cases. However, if your symptoms persist, TMJ treatment in Bayside, NY, will include different treatment options, often combined simultaneously.
The TMJ specialist may recommend pain relievers, oral splints, physical therapy, and counseling as nonsurgical therapies for TMJ disorders to relieve the problem.
Surgical Options for TMJ Disorders
Surgery is always considered a last resort for TMJ disorders. However, some surgical options to treat temporomandibular joint pain include arthrocentesis, corticosteroid injections, modified condylotomy, and open joint surgery. If you are recommended surgical options or other procedures, you must discuss the potential benefits and risks besides inquiring about other options before you commit to the process.
Most TMJ disorders respond effectively to nonsurgical treatments like medications and custom-created mouthguards. You may also notice the discomfort disappearing without treatment. However, if you experience persistent pain in your jaw, it helps if you try to improve your quality of life by seeking treatment for the condition for their Bayside specialist.
If you are concerned by jaw discomfort when opening and closing your mouth, Dental Expressions by Dr. Bram provides help to determine whether you are affected by TMJ disorder. Arranging a consultation with the practice helps you overcome the pain and improve your quality of life.
